BILL HALL: Future looks bright for Durfee wrestlers

Despite having just one senior on the team, BMC Durfee High School's wrestlers have already won five matches and shown coach Chris Antao that the program's future is bright.

Despite having just one senior on the team, BMC Durfee High School's wrestlers have already won five matches and shown coach Chris Antao that the program's future is bright.

"We are primarily freshmen and sophomores," Antao said. "They are young and hopefully the experience they are getting will pay off."

The lone senior on the team is standout Adam Pereira, 120 pounds. Pereira is a four-year starter who is closing in on 100 victories.

Among the juniors is Austin Jones who, at 126 pounds, is 12-5 this year.

Another junior is Kevin Velazquez who, at 170 pounds, is 17-2 this season. He and Austin Jones won the Taunton Wrestling Tournament recently.

Junior Andre Torres, part of the heavyweight class, is undefeated at 7-0. He pulled off a dramatic win for Durfee in the meet at Barnstable, when the Hilltoppers were down by three needed a pin to win. Torres, who also won the Taunton tournament, was able to get that pin.

Junior Justin Martinho wrestles at 195 pounds and is 10-6 this season. He is a three-year starter for the team.

Junior Zach McCabe has missed a portion of the season due to the flu and is 3-3 this year.

The sophomore group includes 113-pound Joe Grinvalsky, a second-year starter for the Hilltoppers who is at 12-5.

"I am so proud of him," Antao said of the sophomore. "He has taken up wrestling very well."

Sophomore Brian DeMello, 138 pounds, is 8-5.

"He wrestles in a very tough weight class," the coach said, "Between 120 and 145 is really competitive."

Sophomore Alex Benevides is a promising wrestler as well, the coach said.

Brendan St. Pierre, in his first year, wrestles at 106 pounds.

"He is learning the ropes," the coach said, "We have a lot of hard workers on this team that continues to improve."